A God's Love
by DeletedAccountNotChangingMind
Summary: It was an honor to be sacrificed to save her village. She must climb to the temple and meet her fate and the god that was to deliver it. It just wasn't what she thought it would be...
1. Prayers

**Disclaimer: If you don't know, I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters.**

Okay guys! I just got this super awesome idea. See I was browsing through some fics, kind of bored, hoping something would catch my eye, when I saw a summery of a story. It looked pretty good and just when I clicked on the story to read it my mind, random as it is, connected the summery with another story I know and I thought, 'Oh my gosh! That's perfect!' And suddenly images and words were filling my brian and I wanted to start writing this!!! It's based of this Greek myth I know, either that or it's Roman, I'm not entirely sure. But as with most Greek myths, I do believe, it has no happy ending so I will have to write one and I'll probably have to change a lot but all well, that's creative lisence. Heehee!!! Here I go!!!!!!!:D!!!!!(PS this will probably only be two or three chapters, SORRY!!!)

**Prayers**

Kagome sighed and rolled the dead plant between her fingers.

"Another crop gone, her friend Ami said sadly. "At this rate..."

"Hush!" Kagome cut her off. "Don't bring bad luck on our heads. We already have quite enough." Her voice was stern but she smiled at her in reassurance.

"Kagome, we could not possibly have more bad luck." Ami cried indicating to the dead field of crops surrounding them. "The well is dry, nothing grows, the animals are all dying of starvation and we will soon follow them if something does not happen soon!"

Kagome got up from her knees and put her hands on her friend's shoulders. "It will all work out. You'll see."

"How?" Ami demanded.

"The gods will see us through." Kagome said her voice firm. "They always have."

"What if we have done something to anger them or..or..." Ami played with her hands nervously.

"Hey, calm down." Kagome said starting to walk back to the village. "We're having a village meeting tonight to decide what should be done. Remember, the gods help those who help themselves." They both looked up to the large mountain which stood guard over their village, that housed a temple to the gods.

* * *

"So it's decided then." Kagome called out to the mass of worried villagers who had gathered together. "Keade will pray and fast for the next two days, then speak with the gods as to what we must do."

Everyone nodded and Keade stood up. "Then I better get to work." she said. "I will be in my hut, in two days time, I will return and tell you what the gods have spoken."

"Good luck." Kagome said hugging the elderly woman.

"I pray this works." Keade said. "Our village needs food and water soon."

"We can wait two more days." Kagome said not thinking of her dry throat or her empty belly.

Everyone cheered for Keade and wished her many prayers of good luck and good fortune as the woman made her way to her hut.

"Kagome, will this work?" A young lady asked holding her babe to her breast. "My children will starve soon. I have done everything I can, me and my husband have even stopped eating ourselves..."

"Do not do that." Kagome said hypocritically. She hadn't eaten in days either. "You and your husband need your strength Nala. Your children need a mother and our fields need their father."

Nala nodded slowly but her face was still troubled.

How it had happened, Kagome didn't know, but somehow, she had become a sort of village leader. It wasn't official, she had no title or any power, but everyone looked up to her and asked for her wisdom and guidance. She did the best she could but she was still a young woman. She did her best by trying to keep people's hope and spirits alive.

"And speaking of your children, you should go to them now. And get some sleep, you look tired." Kagome said gently.

"I haven't slept well for a while. I have been very...worried." It seemed like to tame a word to use for the anxiety that plagued her.

"Sleep well tonight. For Keade will speak to the gods for us, and she will bring us back a solution." Kagome said smiling. "Now off to bed. Go."

Though she spoke only directly to Nala, everyone seemed to take that as a cue to go back home and go to sleep.

Kagome stayed behind to cover the fire in dirt to put it out. Wood was too precious to waste now that food and resources were scarce.

She took a deep breath and gazed at the stars. "Please let her have an answer." she begged to any god that would listen. "This is the village's last hope."

She sighed and walked to her own hut.

* * *

Inuyasha yawned out of boredom and watched the land as people slept.

"Bored?" His mother asked him.

"A little." he admitted though he was actually almost so bored he would start a war amongst the humans, just to break up the monotony.

"Being a god is never easy." she admited and left him to his thoughts.

"Well, maybe if I could leave this place every once and a while..." he mumbled.

His mother was the goddess of love and beauty. She was a nice enough woman and of course she loved practically everything, but none so much as her only child.

Born between her and the great Dog God(A/N That's just so funny to type, snicker) he was the god of earth. Land and water. And he loved his mother dearly but she was so very suffocating at times.

Inuyasha sighed and continued to watch the land.

She never let him leave Shikon Mountain, the home of the gods. He wanted dearly to be able to walk the earth and swim the waters he governed but...

His mother didn't like him leaving.

She said the mortals were evil and greedy most times and most of them were ugly and they all died extremely fast. He was better off here on the mountain, she said, he would find a nice goddess to marry and have children some day. But not too soon.

It didn't help that the only one she felt she could release her precious child to was a goddess named Kikyo. Inuyasha liked Kikyo, she was a great friend, but that was all. Goddess of children, she had a kind and caring heart but she just wasn't for him. He knew it very well.

His interest was piked as he picked up a dead village. The village people weren't dead, but the land around it was and the streams and wells had dried.

"Oh, look. Naraku is having fun showing the mortals how much power he has over them." he said thinking of the nasty god of the dead. He had no problems with Naraku personally, the dead souls had to go somewhere, but he kind of freaked Inuyasha out, truth be told.

He watched as one human, a woman from her clothing, put out a fire.

Not very interested, Inuyasha picked up an apple from a basket at his side and bite in.

The woman's shoulder's sagged then she looked up.

Inuyasha drew in a quick breath and the apple slipped from his fingers.

He drew closer to the water where her image was shown and willed her face closer.

She had such beautiful eyes, especially with the stars shining in them as they did now and her hair was long and smooth. He held out a hand as if he were to touch it but she was not really there.

Suddenly his heart sank then, as if by some weird magic, it returned to his chest, greater and fuller than before. Full of her, her eyes, her lips, her long raven hair, her very skin.

So absorbed he was in her face, he almost didn't hear the words she spoke with such a heavenly voice.

"_Please let her have an answer. This is the village's last hope."_

He looked around her at the dead land. Of course, the land was dying so her village was too.

He watched desperately as she turned her eyes from him and he almost wanted to whine pitifully at loosing sight of those amber depths. She strode away into a hut and vanished from his sight.

"Who is her?" he said desperately searching through the village. Anything he could do to help that angel, make her smile....

He saw an aura of spiritual power. An old woman, praying for help, for an answer.

Inuyasha smirked. He would provide one.

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Well, opinions anyone?


	2. Sacrifice

**Disclaimer: If you don't know, I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters.**

...

**Sacrifice**

Kagome waited outside of Keade's hut with the rest of the village. It had been two days, exactly. Keade would come out any time now.

"Kagome..."

"Calm down, Ami." Kagome said grabbing her friend's hand. "Everything will be just fine. Keade will have an answer."

"What if she doesn't?" Ami asked her eyes filled wit dread.

"She will." Kagome said with absolute conviction.

Ami nodded and they both looked at the hut.

Minutes passed and the village twitched restlessly.

Finally the hut door twitched and everyone sucked in air as Keade stumbled out.

"Keade!" Kagome and Ami ran forward and grabbed her arms. "Bring water!" Kagome ordered and someone separated from the group.

"Come, sit down." Kagome said leading the old woman to the fire to get warm.

"The gods...have spoken..." Keade said.

"And their message can wait until your strength returns." Kagome said sitting her down. "Water!" she reached back.

"Here." Someone put a bowl in her hands.

"Drink this." Kagome said giving the woman some of their precious water.

She drank greedily.

"Bring her some bread." Kagome called out.

"The gods have spoken." Keade repeated in a voice that was less rough than before.

"Rest, Keade, it can wait." Kagome said.

"No. Kagome, the gods have demanded a sacrifice. A _human_ sacrifice."

There was a sudden hush over the village as all talking and movement stopped.

"Did....Did they say who?" Kagome asked after a second. Her lips felt numb.

Keade nodded and her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Kagome. It is you."

The talking started up again twice as loud as before.

"They said you need to climb the mountain to the temple." Keade pointed and everyone looked at the large stone structure that rested halfway up the mighty peak. No humans lived there and they only came to pray when things were dire. "They said you need to climb alone. They said...Kagome they said they would accept only you."

Kagome looked at the ground as the world tilted around her.

"Well, you can't." Ami protested grabbing her arm.

"Yeah. It's not right!"

"You can't go, Kagome."

"Stay here. We will survive."

"I'll go."

"No me!"

"I'll be honored to take your place."

"No." Kagome said firmly. "The gods said me. And I will go. I will leave tomorrow."

"Kagome." Keade grabbed her hands.

"Eat." Kagome said taking the bread that had been brought. "Recover your strength. The village will need you."

"They need you more, child." Keade said. "I am old and serve no purpose. You can work as I can not."

Kagome shook her head and smiled. "You are our only healer. We need_ you_more. It is an honor to serve the village this way. I will climb the mountain tomorrow and I will make sure the gods deliver on their promise." she said fiercely.

Keade smiled sadly, "I would pity even the God of Death should you decide to bump heads with him."

Kagome nodded.

* * *

"Kagome. Don't do this." Ami pleaded. "We'll find another way. We'll move the village."

"Nonsense." Kagome said. "Stay here, stay safe. I'll do what I can."

Ami sniffled but backed away so others could say their good-byes and their thanks yous and their gods bless yous.

"Wish me luck." Kagome said. "Good-bye."

There was an aura of saddness, and yet hope, as she turned and started to climb the mountain trail.

Her sandals, old and worn from years of use, were sturdy on the dusty dirt path. Her hair had been pulled back to keep her eyes clear in case of emergency and she wore her best toga, because you did not meet the gods in your dirty and old clothes.

She licked her dry lips and tightened her rope that she wrapped around herself to keep her toga on.

She tried not to think, only to focus on putting one foot in front of the other but her thoughts came unbidden.

Her. A sacrifice. It was an honor to be wanted as such from the gods but...

Sacrifice.

She was to climb a mountain only to loose her life.

She took a deep breath and willed her feet to continue walking, to not stop, not falter.

"I will do this." she said out loud to herself. "Not for the gods." She stopped when the trail did and looked up. The temple sat only fifty feet above her. The rest of the way had to be climbed then.

Determined, she put her hands on the rough rock face, her foot on a small ledge, and pushed herself up.

"Not for the gods." she repeated as the wind blew her hair about her face.

"For Ami. For Keade. For Nala and her children. For the village." straining, she continued to push herself up the rocky wall.

"But not for the gods." Kagome said putting her hand in a rock and tearing her fingers.

She gritted her teeth as her blood spilled out, fresh and wet. And slippery.

"They will not die because I could not make it." Kagome said still pulling and pushing herself, ignoring the pain in her hands.

Her shoulders and arms got sore and her toes hurt from forcing her body up on the hard rock.

With one last, desperate push, her hands found, not rough rock, but smooth granite.

Kagome looked up and saw, with all her focus on pushing, she had made the 50 feet.

With a smile of triumph, she pulled and pushed herself up the rest of the way.

With a final grunt, she rolled onto the floor and stared at the ceiling as she caught her breath and gave her limbs a rest.

When she could finally move, she rolled over and looked ahead of her.

The long hall was empty. An alter to the gods sat at the end with two doors leading on and there were torches to light the room but other than that it was empty.

Then she looked in front of her. She made a sound of curiosity because there, laid out before here, was a fresh clean toga, new sandals, and a bowl of salve with bandages, for her hands no doubt.

"Those weren't there a second ago." Kagome said sure of herself. She looked around again but there was still no one there. "Hello!?"

Her voice echoed back to her, but no other.

Slowly, she reached out and grabbed the bowl of salve.

With careful fingers, she spread it over her fingers and wrapped them in the clean bandages.

When her fingers had been covered and treated, she looked up and said to the empty room, "Thank you."

"_Thank you."_ her voice echoed back.

She picked up the toga and it unfolded and a leather belt fell out. The material and cut were much more fine than the one she wore now and the sandals had been lined in leather.

Figuring they wouldn't be put there if they weren't hers, and secure in the fact she was indeed alone, she removed her toga and replaced it.

She spent a minute savoring the feel of the silk on her skin and the leather on her feet.

After that, she walked forward into the temple. Surely a god or a messenger of a god would appear before her and take her as the sacrifice.

"Hello?" she said into the empty room. "I am ready. You have treated me very fair and I do not deserve such kindness. I have come to save my village. Please."

Nothing happened.

So, she wondered.

Curious, and with nothing stopping her, she opened one of the doors in the temple hall. It led to a courtyard surrounded by more doors and with a small paradise of flowers and even a fountain. Kagome studied it in fascination. She had heard there were fountains in the larger cities but she had never seen one. The falling water was a miracle to her. There were birds, small and colorful, and large and graceful with beautiful voices.

Suddenly a heavenly aroma met her nose.

Her stomach rumbled in response.

She followed the scent to another door. She hesitated for only a second before opening it.

She gasped.

There was a large dining hall filled with delicious foods.

Kagome nearly ran to the table. She grabbed a grape and put it in her mouth. The sweet juices were a shock to a system so long without food. So she went down the isle, sampling the food that had been laid out.

A few morsels of lamb that was succulent and flavored. Fish, bigger than she had ever seen, steamed and roasted. Grapes and apples and vegetables. There was even wine. Something treasured in her small village. Here there was enough to float a boat.

She ate and drank until her belly was full, for the first time in months. Throughout her feast, not a soul appeared. not one servant came to fill her goblet, which was gold and fabulous, yet it never emptied. No one came to clear away empty dishes, yet they were gone the second Kagome turned her back.

Happy and satisfied, she wondered if sacrifices were normally treated this good before their death.

Following her curiosity again, she left the room and walked down the courtyard. Behind more doors were fabulous things Kagome had never dreamed of. A library filled with scrolls, a large kitchen with no one there, and the best of all, a large bedroom with a canopy bed.

"It's beautiful." Kagome said walking in. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

No answer.

Seeing something off about the ivory blankets, she walked forward. Then stopped as she recognized the thing sitting folded on the bed.

Her toga, with her sandals on top.

"My room?" she said.

She moved the clothing and sat down on the large feather bed. With a large smile she fell back and sighed happily.

Suddenly the events of the day crashed down on her, that and a full belly, sent her right to sleep.

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...


	3. Hidden

**Disclaimer: If you don't know, I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters.**

So this is supposed to be the last chapter, except its not, so live with it:)

**Hidden**

There was a strange feeling on her cheek. Like that of an insect crawling on you. Groggily, Kagome reached up to swipe it away...

...and encountered a hand.

She gasped and sat up fully awake.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you." The man said softly. He had seen a strand of hair on her face and he could not resist putting it behind her ear.

"No! I'm sorry for taking liberties in your temple!" Kagome said her heart full of fear.

The man she was talking to, for he was a man because of his height and very broad shoulders, wore a long black cloak with a hood pulled up hiding his face from her view. But the hand that was pulled back into the cloak was clawed.

"It is alright." he said placing his lit lamp on the bedside table.

Kagome realized then, that it was night.

"I am sorry all the same." Kagome said terrified he would take her insubordination out on her village. "I am ready."

"For what?" he asked quietly still looking at her, or Kagome thought he was she couldn't be sure with his face hidden the way it was.

"To be sacrificed as promised." she said bowing her head hoping her end would, at least, come quick.

"Sacrificed?" he repeated a note of humor in his voice. "Who said anything about you being a sacrifice?"

"That was the deal." Kagome said panic filling her throat. "I was to be sacrificed and in return my village's crops would grow and water would return."

He chuckled. It was a deep chuckle. "Is that what your priestess told you?"

"Yes. Please, for my village..."

He held up a hand cutting off her words. "Your village is fine. The river is fuller than ever with fish in abundance and the soil is fertile again."

"But..." Kagome said confused. "I was to be sacrificed in return. Why wasn't I?"

She felt rather than saw him smile. "The god never said the word 'sacrifice'. He said you would make your way up to this temple in exchange."

"I don't understand." Kagome said honestly.

He reached his clawed hands forward and gripped hers lightly. "You are to live here, in exchange. Here, with me. All these things, the food, the room, even the library, is for you."

"Me?" Kagome said.

"Yes."

"Are you an acolyte of this god's temple?" Kagome asked.

"No." he said.

"A priest?"

He shook his head.

"Then..."

He shook his head again. "It doesn't matter what I am." he said drawing close to her keeping her hands tight in his own. "I want you to live here, so I can be with you."

"Why?"

"Because I love you." he said honestly making her gasp. "You do not have to return my feelings, you just met me after all. But live here, and let me love you and earn your love in return."

"Of course." Kagome said thinking of her village.

He took in a ragged breath as if he had been unsure of her answer and pulled her in his arms. "Thank you. Thank you." he whispered to her.

Slowly, unsure, Kagome lifted her arms and held him back.

"May I see your face?" she asked.

"No!" he said suddenly pushing her back but keeping his hands on her arms. "You must never, never see my face!"

"Why?" Kagome asked wondering what she had done wrong.

He must have seen the hurt and bewilderment on her face because he exhaled and placed a hand on her cheek.

"There are things you must know if you are to live here. The first and most important is: you must never see my face. If you do, I will have to leave you."

"But..." Kagome said but he shook his head.

"That, and I will only ever come to you when the sun in down." he looked out the window at the night sky sparkling with stars. "It is the only way. Please." he very nearly begged. How his heart so ached for her when he had only seen her in person that night was a wonder to him.

"Alright." Kagome agreed nodding her head.

She felt him smile again and he dropped his arms and grabbed her hands. "The temple is your home now, so you may go anyway you like. Do anything you like. I promise, while you are here, you will want for nothing."

"Then..." Kagome paused wondering if she could ask this.

"Yes." he said anxious to give her anything.

"May I have, your name?"

He didn't respond for so long she thought he wouldn't tell her. She had just taken a breath to tell him to forget the question when he said, "Yash. Call me Yash."

"Yash." she repeated.

* * *

Kagome watched and listened as he told her a story. It was about a brave prince and a strange monster called a Minotaur. His voice boomed and then would quiet down making her lean in to listen. His voice rumbled like a thunder storm in the distance with the same mystique and beauty. And while he talked his hands would move and illustrate the pictures his words painted. It was a marvel to see his long sinewy arms tipped with clawed fingers but they didn't bother her. It was a part of him.

She had lived in the temple for a month now and she had grown quite close to him. It may have been that he was the only one to ever talk to her on this lonely mountain with its invisible servants, but she also felt connected to him. Maybe it was the love he showered her with for it was impossible to stand against the tidal wave that was his affection and attention. She soon found herself drifting out to sea on his words alone for he never showed her his face.

Like he promised, he only came at night, when the Sun God had finished his trek across the sky, but he always came with gifts. She accepted them gratefully though she never asked for anything. When she mentioned this he said that her not asking only made him want to give her more.

Soon she had rare and beautiful silk togas, many leather belts and the finest sandals. She also possessed much gold and silver jewelry; earrings, and necklaces and armbands and bracelets and so many, many rings.

She wore whatever he brought her because she could see that it made him happy that she was pleased with his gifts.

She never went hungry or thirsty for anytime she felt the want for food or wine or water, some would appear at her side instantly.

And because Yash only came at night, she slept most of her days away, she even started looking forward to their moonlit chats. Every time, he would look to the east when the sun was about to rise then he would walk to the temple entrance. He would grab her hands and lovingly kiss each of her fingers then her palms while her heart thundered in her chest. He would tell her he loved her, and that he would see her when night came again, then he would leave.

She would always wait anxiously for his return.

She didn't care for the gifts he brought her, though she did love them, it was he himself she wanted to see. She would long to hear his baritone voice and be able to be held in such strong arms.

But what she wanted most was to be able to see his face, though she had been warned not to. She thought, perhaps, that he had a monsterous face and he wanted to hide it from her. She didn't care, after living with him for a month she soon felt the love bloom in her chest like a great flower opening its petals to the sun.

She told him so one night.

They were sitting on a balcony and he was showing her the land that she could see for so far a distance. They had sat down, with her between his legs her back to his chest and his arms around her and his breath in her ear.

"It's beautiful." She said looking out seeing the river and the trees.

"Are you happy here?" he asked her. He frequently asked her that.

At first she was merely content but now...

"Of course." she said leaning against him, loving the feeling of his hard body pressed against her softer one. "I am with you."

He drew in a shaky breath.

She turned and smiled at him through the darkness of his hood. "I am with the man I love." she said softly.

He gathered her close and hugged her to him.

He wouldn't kiss her, he wouldn't risk her finding something out or seeing his face but....

He kissed her neck and the sides of her face making her lean back and sigh happily.

"Yash..." she moaned as he sucked the sensitive skin at the nape of her neck.

He pulled back and looked at her desperately. "Ask me for something. Please. You've made me so happy, I need to give you something. Anything, just name it."

"I have everything I could want..." She stopped and looked off at the land spread out before her.

"What?" he said caressing her face.

"Please, don't take this the wrong way. I love you dearly and you are the greatest company I could ask for but..."

"Yes?" he prompted.

"I do miss my friend, Ami." she confessed biting her lip.

He was quiet for a moment then turned her face to him. "Then you must see her. I will call her up the mountain so she may see you tomorrow. Will that suit you?"

She smiled brightly letting him know he had done right. "Oh thank you!" she cried throwing her arms around his neck.

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Okay so I lied, this is going to be longer than three chapters. :)


	4. Revealed

**Disclaimer: If you don't know, I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters.**

Okay, I say this with no little amount of frustration, thank you to those who listened in the FIRST place!!! This story is to be based off a Greek myth I am very fond of. I was even toying with converting some others making it sort of a three Greek myth special with Inuyasha and Kagome pairings. Okay, I admit I didn't remember Phyce's name but I did remember Cupid's! And yes I was thinking of adding something to the end until I discovered it was extremely like the Disney movie Hercules! You get what you get whether I add a plot twist or not and I told you I was making it the Greek myth that person who was complaining that it was like this myth! Pay attention!!!!!

**Revealed**

Kagome only got so many hours of sleep because she was so excited. Inuyasha left her at dawn with his normal hand kiss and a promise that Amy would come up this afternoon and if she wanted Amy to stay the night he would stay away.

"No!" Kagome protested grabbing his arms. "She'll have to return and besides, I don't want to be without you. Even for a night."

"Me either." Yash said bringing her close and hugging her tightly. "I'll return to you tonight."

"Good-bye, my love." Kagome said looking into the depths of his cloak longingly.

He stroked her cheek then turned and left.

Tired, Kagome also left the great hall to return to her chamber.

She hadn't known him that long but, oh she loved him so dearly. He had become the center of her life, so fixed there that the thought of spending even one night without him caused her a kind of pain. A sink in her chest sucking the life out of her.

With thoughts of her masked love dancing in her head, she slept fretfully.

* * *

Excited, Kagome put on her best clothes and her most favorite jewelry, to show Amy how happy and taken care of she was. She knew that Amy would be worried and would take news back of her health to her friends and family.

She spent most of her morning in the great hall waiting impatiently.

It was only after noon that she heard a scuffle of rocks and a grunt of effort.

"Ami." she said excitedly standing up from her sitting position on the floor and running toward the entrance.

"Who thought of that climb?" she complained sticking her head over the edge and pulling herself up.

"Ami!" Kagome called.

She looked up and her frustrated expression became one of happiness.

"Kagome!" She pulled herself up quickly and ran the few steps left into Kagome's arms. "Your really alright! I can't believe it! You're alright!"

She leaned back and looked her up and down. "You look great! How are you?"

"I'm wonderful."Kagome said grabbing her hand and leading her in. "It's been so long. How is everyone?"

"Wait, wait. You first." Amy said her wide smile matching Kagome's. "Your stories are shorter than mine anyway. What happened you?"

"Well..." Kagome took a breath and led Amy back into the courtyard with the fountain and told her what had happened since she arrived.

"So you never see his face?" Ami asked.

Kagome shook her head. "Let's go get some food. You must be hungry. And you have to tell me how everyone is doing."

Amy followed her to the dinning hall and her jaw dropped. "You eat here?"

Kagome blushed. "Yeah."

"Wow." Amy said picking up a goblet of wine.

"To friends." Kagome said lifting her own.

"Friends." Amy agreed hitting her goblet against hers and taking a sip.

She sighed in ecstasy. "That is so sweet."

Kagome nodded happily taking a sip of her own.

"So what's been happening?" she asked sitting down and motioning Amy to do the same.

"Well," Amy said sitting next to her friend. "Since you left a lot has happened."

Kagome listened in wonder at all that had befallen her people in a single month.

No sooner had she climbed the mountain and her figure had disappeared from sight, someone cried out in joy because the well had been filled with water fresher than before.

By mid-day the river had filled and the men had caught so many fish they had had a feast in celebration.

That night there was a large rainstorm that shook each hut but in the morning the soil was rich and dark again.

The villagers sang praises to the gods and to Kagome herself.

That had been the only thing keeping the village from complete happiness. They had known what the blessings had cost them. Just a week ago tiny green shoots had appeared at the top of the ground making the village jubilant. The fish that swam in abundance in the river was keeping them safe and full until harvest time.

Before the sun fell Kagome hugged her friend good-bye and they both shed tears at the parting.

"You know..." Amy said smiling. "I am curious as to whats under his hood. Even if your not."

Kagome smiled back. "I admit, I am curious, but I would rather not know. It would make him leave. Besides, he has claws so I guess he must find his face monstrous. When he trusts me enough, he'll show me."

"You should find out yourself." Amy said. "Just a quick peek, when he's sleeping perhaps. He'll never know so he wont leave."

"Maybe." Kagome said.

They said good-bye and Kagome watched as her friend climbed down and walked down the trail.

She watched from her position even as the sun sank below the horizon and a voice behind her said, "Did you have fun today?"

"Yash!" Kagome smiled and turned to see him looking down at her.

She stood and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you it was the most marvelous present."

"Anything for you." he promised pushing her back and looking at her. "Your eyes are bruised. Do you need sleep?"

"NoI uh..."

_"Just a quick peek, when he's sleeping perhaps. He'll never know so he wont leave."_

"Actually..." Kagome said gathering her courage. "I am kind of tired. Will you sleep with me?"

She sensed his surprise in his moment of silence, then he said, "Of course. Come."

He walked with her down to her bedchamber.

He kept his cloak on as she took off her jewelry and climbed in after him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"You'll stay with me?" Kagome asked.

"Until the sun rises." he promised.

Kagome nodded and buried her head in his chest. She spent the next hour or so concentrating on staying awake and on keeping her breathing deep and even. His arms were so warm and comforting it was easy to find herself dosing.

But after a while she felt and heard his breathing deepen to match her own and she risked opening her eyes.

She waited for a second but he didn't react.

Slowly, carefully, she reached up her hands and gripped the edges of his hood gently. She paused but he still didn't react.

Even slower and even more carefully, she pulled it back and sucked in a breath as the torch light showed her his face.

He wasn't monstrous at all, in fact he was beautiful.

His hair was like a frozen waterfall and his face was chiseled and well defined. He had a strong chin and nose and a pair of adorable silver dog ears on his head.

"Amazing..." she breath quietly.

But not too quietly.

Yash opened his eyes and saw her staring at him in wonder. He gasped and sat up quickly and knew before he reached up to check that his hood was thrown back.

"No." he said.

"I'm sorry." Kagome said grabbing his arms. "Please don't leave."

"It's not my choice, Kagome." he said looking around in a panic.

"Then whose..."

"INUYASHA!" A booming voice fulled the room making Kagome gasp and cover her ears.

"No!" Inuyasha cried wrapping Kagome in his arms.

"Yash?" she looked up at him in confusion but one moment he was there and the next her arms were holding air.

"No!" she cried out falling forward where he had been. The wind calmed though it had blown at the torch and Kagome found herself totally alone.

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P.S: Thanks RainshimmerCanHasCHEESEBURGER for the tip about the togas!!!:)


	5. Kiss

**Disclaimer: If you don't know, I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters**

Okay!!! I don't know what happened to me but I was kind of grumpy and sane the last time I wrote and all my insanity, which is my ability to write, was on vacation so I wrote a crappy ending to an otherwise good story. I had a couple of complaints, maybe like two or three, but that was enough for me!! If I have even 1 unhappy reader we must redo!!! So my insanity, and happiness:D, is back and I plan on coming out swinging by re-writing this chapter and continuing the story so it doesn't suck!!!!:D!!! And for you who already read it, it has a new ending in this chapter so read that and I will proceed to write a new chapter after posting this:D!!

**Kiss**

She waited.

She waited for him to return for days and barely slept at all because of it. But he never came back.

The nights were hers alone now and the days were long and empty. No more invisible servants tended to her. No more food, no more water and the fountain in the middle of the courtyard stopped working. That was what led her to finally leave.

Hunger and near dehydration forced her to abandon her mountain.

When he disappeared all of his gifts, her clothes her shoes and her jewels, were taken with him. So she left the mountain in what she came in, climbing down the cliff face alone and dejected.

But she just couldn't stay anymore. The walk back, the slow journey down with the weight of her lost love heavy on her shoulders, was much longer than the climb up where the weight of her village had rested on her back.

"Kagome!"

She looked up surprised. There were people running toward her, her village. How had she gotten down the mountain so fast? She turned and looked up at the lonely temple perched delicately on the mountain face.

It blurred when the tears came to her eyes.

Her breath hitched and she dropped to her knees as the full weight of her sorrow landed on her.

"Kagome!"

"Kagome!"

"Kagome!"

Keade walked forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Kagome, what happened to ye, child?"

"Oh, Keade..." Kagome said with a tear filled voice.

* * *

"Mother, let me off this mountain, now!" Inuyasha screamed causing the walls of the godly palace to shake.

"No." she said stubbornly her arms crossed in front of her chest.

She had stolen him away, snatched him from the arms of his beloved, and forced him to come back to the gods palace on Mt. Shikon.

"I can't believe you lied to me." she said for what must have been the thousandth time. "All the while you were sneaking off to that...that..._mortal_ hussy..."

"Don't call her that!" Inuyasha roared his blood boiling. "You don't even know her!"

"She is mortal, what is there to know?" Izayoi cried. "I will not have my sons heart broken because he was careless enough to give it to some one who would only break it."

"She would never do that!" he growled. "Kagome's a great woman!"

"They all look great at first but there is no mortal that is not greedy and selfish and...."

"Shut up!" Inuyasha cried making his mother gasp. "She's not like that! Kagome is the most selfless and most kind person I have ever met."

"Inuyasha!" Izayoi said holding a hand to her chest. "How dare you speak to me like that?"

"How dare _you_ keep me prisoner on this mountain!?" he cried back.

"It's for your own good!" she said firmly.

"Hey now, what's with all the noise? You two are practically shaking the entire mountain."

A large man with battle armor walked into the room. His hair was silver like his son's but he had two purple slashed on each cheek. Inutaisho, the Great Dog God.

"Father." Inuyasha nodded at him in greeting but his voice was raw from all his yelling.

"Now what is going on here?" he asked.

"She has imprisoned me here!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Imprisoned?" Inutaisho repeated. "Darling, why would you do that?"

"He went down into the mortal world!" she said.

"So?" Inutaisho shrugged. "I do it all the time."

"I will not have my son around...mortals." she shivered.

"She stole me away!" Inuyasha jumped in. "She took me from the one I love!"

"Love?" Inutaisho raised an eyebrow. "You said love?"

"He thinks he has fallen for a mortal." Izayoi sniffed.

"Look into my heart mother!" Inuyasha said desperately. "You are the Goddess of Love. Look into my heart and tell me what I feel is not love! For if this powerful feeling is not then I will never know love when if do feel it."

"I. Will. Not!" she said through gritted teeth, her body shaking.

"Darling." Inutaisho said quietly putting his hand on her shoulder.

"No!" she shrugged it off. "I will not have him at the mercy of....of....AH!" she threw up her hands and stormed out.

There was silence for a moment before Inutaisho turned to his son. "Forgive your mother." he said. "She means well."

Inuyasha's body was shaking as well and his fists were clenched in anger. "How could she do this to me? How could she take away the one person that means more to me than anything? How can the goddess of love deny love to her own son?"

Inutaisho took a breath. "Your mother...Well..." he dragged his hand through his hair. "Your mother doesn't trust mortals."

"Why not?" Inuyasha asked.

"Well..." Inutaisho walked into his son's room and sat on his bed. "A long time ago...she was mortal."

"What?" Of all the things he had expected to hear, that was not one of them. "Mother couldn't have been a mortal."

"She was." Inutaisho nodded. "I fell in love with her and I kissed her and gave her godhood."

Inuyasha walked over to his bed and dropped onto it as his knees gave out. "A mortal..."

"Yeah. She was a member of a group of women who used their beauty to control the hearts of men."

"What?" Inuyasha repeated.

"Yeah. Your mother was the best at it. There was no man who didn't fall for her the second he laid eyes on her. And I was no exception. I saw her one morning picking wildflowers. She was going to weave them into a crown to place upon her head. I couldn't help myself. I landed at her feet and told her what I felt.

"She wasn't surprised that men fell for her or confessed their feelings, they did so all the time. But I was the first god to do so. That was probably what gave me an advantage over the other suitors. My godhood. I went to her everyday and lavished her in gifts and a love so pure I thought it would burn a hole right through my heart. 'Surely,' I thought to myself, 'I cannot be immortal for one word from this woman could kill me'.

"But, as time went by she began to love me in return and it changed her. She was no longer the woman who controlled the hearts of men through beauty and guile. She had no need of such things anymore. She became sweet and gentle and when I gave her godhood she became the goddess of love.

"However she still hasn't forgotten her beginnings. She still remembers the cold-hearted women she knew and she thinks, to some degree, that all women are like her." Inutaisho placed his hand on his Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Go to your woman, Inuyasha, and bring her here. We'll prove to your mother how wrong she was about her."

Inuyasha looked confused. "But, father, only god's can come onto Mt. Shikon."

Inutaisho raised his eyebrow. "I know."

* * *

"Here dear." Keade handed Kagome a bowl of soup.

"Thank you." she said quietly and drank it slowly.

"I'm sorry for your loss, child." Keade said sitting down next to her.

"It was my fault." Kagome said looking into her bowl as if the secrets of the world were etched into the bottom. "I should have listened to him."

"From what you described of him," Keade said, "and from the memory I have of the god that spoke to me, I would say that that was Inuyasha."

"God of earth and water." Kagome nodded.

"We owe him many thanks." Keade said looking at the bowl. "A month ago that stew wouldn't be here."

"He's amazing." Kagome said sadly looking into the bowl of food that Inuyasha had provided her village. It was like being taken care of by him again. Suddenly she was ravenous and drank the soup greedily.

Keade smiled. "Perhaps..."

"Kagome!" Ami ran in breathing hard.

"Ami, what's wrong?" Kagome asked running to her side.

"There's some one....huff...some one...puff..." she pointed outside the hut and Kagome ran out wondering what was wrong.

She gasped and stopped when she saw.

They surrounded him and whispered in fascination.

But he saw right through them all and he smiled as he looked into her eyes.

Kagome's breath hitched and her eyes shined with tears as she saw the face she loved so dearly, the face she had only seen once.

"Inuyasha!" she ran through the crowd and into his open arms.

"Sorry, I'm early." He said smiling down at her.

"What?" she said with a smile on her face so wide her cheeks hurt.

"It's mid-day." he pointed up at the sky. "I'm early."

Kagome laughed and shook her head.

"Kagome, marry me." Inuyasha said. "Let me take you home and take care of you. Let me love you forever. Marry me."

Kagome smiled and noticed how he stated and didn't ask. She loved that about him.

"Of course." she said happily.

He smirked and pulled her up and crashed his lips against hers.

Without hesitation, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back just as enthusiastically.

Her face felt hot, and it was spreading. The heat spread throughout her limbs and wrapped her a coccoon of warmth and love and it was tied together by his arms caressing her back as he pulled her up to get better access to her mouth.

Wait. Was the warmth supposed to be that hot?

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so this is not the end anymore, there will be more chapters and thanks to you guys who complained!!! You re-inspired me to keep writing:D:D:D:D:D:D:D!!!


	6. Fire

**Disclaimer: If you don't know, I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters**

Well if you didn't read the earlier opening comments, I re-wrote the end of the last chapter and you should go read it so this chapter makes sense!!! Love you guys, just want you to know!!!

**Fire**

Kagome's head fell back as the warmth, so pleasant and comforting before, grew hot and unbearable.

"Ah! Inuyasha! What's happening!?" she cluched her chest.

"It will be over soon." he promised gathering her in his arms.

Within a second, he transported them from the streets of her village to his room on Mt. Shikon. He carefully listed her in his arms and lay her on the bed.

"What's happening!?" She said curling into a ball.

"I'm sorry love." He whispered stroking her hair. "It only lasts a few hours."

He flinched as she whimpered in pain.

**_*Flashback*_**

_"Once you kiss her," Inutaisho said, "It will send a fire through her blood. It will only last a few hours but it will be painful to turn her mortal body to that of a god's."_

_Inuyasha was quite for a second. "I'll..have to hurt her?"_

_Inutaisho nodded. "It will be hard for you, I know, I've been there. But once the process is complete she will be yours forever."_

_Forever sounded good to Inuyasha._

**_*Normal*_**

He sat next to her and stroked her hair and whispered endearments to her. Every so often she would flinch or whimper or gasp and once she even cried out from the pain.

Each time, Inuyasha flinched from the pain of knowing what he was doing to her and from his helplessness. If he could, he would have taken the pain for himself.

An hour passed and Kagome's whimpers started coming less and less but Inuyasha knew they were only half way to the end.

That's when the doors flew open and his mother stormed in withher fury eched painfully into her face.

Inuyasha was hurt to see the tears in her eyes that had yet to fall.

:Inuyasha, how could you do this!" Izayoi pointed to the bed where Kagome lay in Inuyasha's lap.

With her teeth mashed together to keep from crying out again, Kagome opened her eyes and gazed at a face she had only ever seen in statues or painted on vases from large cities.

The Goddess of Love was so mad her face was red and her fists were shaking.

"I'm not a child, mother." Inuyasha said closing his hands on Kagome's arms protectively. "You can't tell me what I can and cannot do."

"Inuyasha, she is a mortal! She can only bring you pain!" Izayoi said the tears finally falling but she took no notice of them.

"Mother, if you don't believe her love for me is real, then look!" Inuyasha cried feeling like he was bashing his head against a stone wall. "You are love mother! Tell me her feelings for me aren't real and we can throw her back to earth and trap her there forever. Just look, mother!"

"I will not!" she said her face crunching up in pain. "I know her kind. She will only bring you misery!"

With that dark omen, she turned and ran out.

"What..." Kagome mumbled through her pain. "did I..."

"No!" Inuyasha said turning to her. "You didn't do anything. You are perfectly fine."

He stroked her hair again and kissed her forehead.

They waited in silence for another hour or so and Inuyasha stayed with her the entire time, hugging her close trying to steady her shaking frame.

Finally, after far too long it seemed to Kagome, the pain started to recede. Degree by degree it faded. Kagome was able to open her eyes without wanted to slam them shut from the pain. Then as the pain started fading more and more her jaw stopped being so tense and it was able to relax. Her fists uncurled and breathing no longer burned her throat.

As the last of the fire receded her body stopped shaking and the muscles she had kept tense the entire time slowly relaxed until she was just laying in Inuyasha's lap with her head on his shoulder.

When she had been still for a few minutes Inuyasha looked down and smiled saddly. "Are you okay now?"

She nodded and sighed. "That was...awful."

He chuckled. "I'm sorry." He kissed her forehead then lifted her hand and kissed her palm where it was red from her finger nails biting into the flesh. Then he kissed each cheek which were sore from holding her jaw so tight, then he kissed her lips.

This time only the warmth entered her body.

Happy, even if the dull echoes of pain still flowed through her, she reached up and wrapped her arms around him.

Breathing heavily, Inuyasha released her lips and kissed down her jaw and onto her neck. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do this." he said leaning her back to get better access to the sweet flesh that had been so long denied to him.

"Yash." Kagome said his name out of habit.

He smirked. "You can call me Inuyasha, baby. he nuzzled her collarbone. "Especially when we're like this."

Kagome blushed and Inuyasha chuckled.

The door opened again and the couple looked and saw Inutaisho walking in.

"Busy already?" he said happily not disturbed in the least at seeing his son in the arms of a woman.

"Yeah. Go away." Inuyasha said biting Kagome's earlobe.

Inutaisho shook his head. "Did you even explain what happened to her?"

"We were getting to it." Inuyasha said running his hand down her body.

"Inuyasha." Kagome gasped. "You're father..."

"Has done this kind of thing plenty of times." Inuyasha finished leaning back and looking her in the face. "It's not a big surprise for him."

"But...."

He sighed but got up. "Alright. Let's talk then. Dad this is Kagome, Kagome this is Inutaisho."

"Good to meet you, sir." Kagome said bowing her head respectively.

"Hello dear." he said nodding back.

"Great, we've all been introduced. Are we done?" Inuyasha asked playing with Kagome's hair.

"Why don't we tell her what happened to her first." Inutaisho said walking forward and sitting next to Kagome on the bed making Inuyasha grumble.

"Well Kagome." Inutaisho said ignoring his son. "Aren't you curious as to what happened? Why your body 'caught on fire', so to speak?"

"I am curious." Kagome admitted as Inuyasha lay his chin on her shoulder and held her from behind.

"There is no other way but direct to say this." Inutaisho said. "Kagome, you are now a goddess."

"A...a what?" Kagome repeated like he was making a joke.

"When gods kiss a mortal," Inutaisho explained, "they can grant upon them, godhood. It can only happen once and it has only happened twice to my knowledge. Kagome, Inuyasha has granted you your godhood."

"Godhood..." Kagome repeated her mind numb.

"Yes." Inutaisho nodded once. "I'm not sure exactly what you are goddess of yet but we will find out eventually."

"Wow..." Kagome said leaning back into Inuyasha.

"My goddess." he whispered in her ear his voice filled with happiness.

"That means," Kagome turned her head to look at him, "I can stay with you...forever?"

He nodded happily and pulled her closer to him

"Really?" Kagome asked without any emotion in her voice.

"Yes." Inuyasha said smiling.

There was a second of quiet as what he said to her sank in.

Then she squealed and threw her arms around him. "Really? Honestly?"

"Yes!" Inuyasha promised kissing her neck again.

Inutaisho knew when he had been completely forgotten and decided to leave the room.

He closed the door just as Kagome tugged Inuyasha down onto the bed, her mouth busy on his.

Inutaisho cleared his throat and looked around the empty hallway with dignity heavy on his shoulder.

Then he squealed like a little girl. "I can't wait to have grand kids!" he jumped in the air and did a little jig in the hall.

When a servent turned the corner he nodded at Inutaisho who was, once again, tall and proud and very dignified.

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Yay! I can't wait to find out what happens next!!!


	7. Introductions

**Disclaimer: If you don't know, I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters**

...

**Introductions**

Kagome sighed in complete bliss. She was so comfortable and relaxed that she didn't want to open her eyes.

She smiled slightly when she remembered the events of yesterday.

Slowly, because it was too nice a morning to move fast, she trailed her hands over the silk sheets then snapped her eyes open when she didn't feel a warm body laying next to hers.

She sat up slowly and looked around. The sun was streaming into her room through a large pair of double doors with glass and see through curtains flapping slowly in the breeze.

Kagome pushed her hair behind her ears and looked around at the room she had mostly ignored since she got here.

The room was bright with light woods and creamy colored fabrics. The bed she lay on was big and soft and there was a large empty fireplace on one wall.

She sat up pulling the sheet with her to cover her body.

On the bedside stand was a note and a beautiful blue flower.

Smiling, she picked it up and smelled it.

"Pretty..." she said quietly touching the petals.

Then she gasped as they moved.

The transition was seamless and quick, one second she had a flower in her hand the next a bright blue butterfly lifted itself in the air and flew around her head then out the window.

Smiling with joy, she reached over and grabbed the note.

_Kagome,_

_There is some things I need to do today. Summer is coming and I like to be there when the seasons change. I'll be back soon. I love you._

_-Inuyasha_

_P.S. There are clothes in the trunk at the foot of the bed._

Kagome put down the note and looked at the trunk.

Taking the sheet with her, she climbed out of the bed and opened the trunk.

Inside were the very clothes he had brought her at the mountain smelling of the oak trunk they rested in.

Smiling, she took out her favorite one and put it on.

Just as she was tying her sandals, there was a knock on the door.

"Coming." Kagome called but they opened the door before she could reach it.

"Hello, dear." Inutaisho said smiling at her. "How did you sleep?"

"Very well, thank you." Kagome bowed her head to him.

"Now none of that." he said lifting her face. "I never got to properly look at you yesterday." He turned her head this way and that and smiled. "You are very beautiful. I can see why my son loves you."

Kagome smiled at his approval. "To what do I owe the honor of your visit?" She asked.

"A man can't escort around a pretty lady?" he asked innocently taking her arm and walking with her from the room. "I can only guess at how many questions are buzzing around in that skull of yours. I can answer them, if you like."

"Oh, really?" Kagome asked trying to hide the fact that she had felt no curiosity what so ever. That was probably bad considering what all had happened to her but...

"I guess I should wonder where I am?" she said looking around at the marvelous hall they walked down.

Inutaisho laughed. "Kagome my dear, you have just entered what is probably the most dysfunctional family in any world. This is Mt. Shikon, home of the gods!"

He swept his arm out to indicate the stunning white granite they walked on, the clouds that danced and sparkled through the high rafters, the breathtaking paintings on the walls, and the large windows that let sunlight stream and cast sparkling dust motes through the air.

"Mt. Shikon." Kagome repeated in awe. "I've always dreamed of what this place would look like."

Inutaisho chuckled. "Inuyasha will be busy for some time so how about the grand tour?"

Kagome smiled. "That sounds wonderful."

"Great!" he said turning her left down another hallway.

They visited the large courtyard outside the palace where Kagome saw grass greener than emeralds and a river so blue and pure Kagome could see the bottom as if it was just a few inches below the surface. There were great trees that were the homes to big, colorful birds with voices so beautiful it made Kagome want to weep. There was a great and mighty cat Inutaisho called a lion tamely liking his paws with large fangs showing though he looked at her with disinterest as she passed. Far from the cat were some vary strange and also very lovely flightless birds with large fan-like tails in blues and greens that envied the grass and water that Inutaisho called peacocks. These creatures with swan-like necks even let Kagome pat them with looks in there eyes that told her they were very used to it.

She met the Goddess of Nature there.

"Hello!" the small girl said with a bright smile on her face.

"Kagome, this is my eldest son's wife, Goddess of Nature, Rin." Inutaisho said stepping back politely to let them greet one another.

"How do you do?" Kagome said kindly bowing her head.

Rin had other ideas however and through her arms around Kagome's neck. "So _you're_the one every ones talking about! You're very pretty." she said smiling sweetly at her.

Rin, though kind of short, was happy and bubbly. She wore a short toga that didn't even go past her knees and her feet were bare. Her hair was silky and brown and her eyes kind, though, when Kagome looked closely, she saw a certain wildness in them that mimicked that of the great lion's.

"Thank you. Is this your doing?" Kagome asked looking around at the wonder that surrounded her.

She giggled. "The animals are mine. Inuyasha is the keeper of the plants and water though."

"Inuyasha did this?" Kagome repeated taking another good look at the beauty that seemed to perfect to be true.

"Yup, yup!" Rin sang. "Isn't he the best? I have to go now, but say hi to my husband, I'm sure he'll want to meet you!" she said as she turned and ran off.

"Your son?" Kagome said as Inutaisho took her arm again.

He laughed. "Yes. Sesshomaru."

"God of Winter." Kagome knew.

Inutaisho nodded. "Summers coming so he wont be happy. Well," he paused, "come to think of it, I don't think he's ever happy. I wonder where he got it..." he mumbled to himself.

"So, Izayoi is his mother as well?" Kagome asked just remembering the woman who had yelled at hr yesterday.

"Oh, no!" Inutaisho said. "Izayoi only gave birth to Inuyasha. Sesshomaru is the son of another woman I had bed."

"Oh?" Kagome said.

"Oh she was something else. Nothing like my Izayoi, but she was pretty intense. Goddess of...well..." he snickered, "Goddess of Sex actually."

Kagome chuckled. "You mean fertility." she chided at the twinkle in his eye.

"Details." he said waving his hand. "Anyway, we both knew we didn't love each other, and I got my first son out of a fabulous affair, so I have no complaints at all."

He walked her back into the archways that served as the entrance to the great palace. "Knowing Sesshomaru, and me and Rin know him as well as anyone could, I would say he's probably in the library.

The library Inuyasha had given her was nothing to the cavernous room that held rows upon rows of scrolls and tablets. In here was the largest window she had ever seen, starting at the ground and flowing up what must have been four stories.

Inside, in a large chair next to an unlit fireplace, sat a man with a lare fur wrapped around his shoulder, with could eyes and silver hair the same as his father and brothers.

"Sesshomaru!" Inutaisho called out happily.

Sesshomaru got a slight crease in his forehead and looked up rather unwillingly from his scroll. "Father." he greeted and looked at Kagome.

"This," Inutaisho said, "is your new sister, Kagome. Kagome, my eldest son, Sesshomaru."

Kagome bowed her head deeply, knowing from the tales of the Winter God's pride. "How do you do? It's an honor to meet you."

Sesshomaru grunted and returned to his scroll.

"See you at dinner, Sesshomaru." Inutaisho said leading Kagome out. As soon as he shut the door he said to her, "Don't be down because of that, honestly that was almost too sweet for Sesshomaru. Normally he would have tossed out some mean and biting comment."

"I'm not worried." Kagome said smiling.

"Good!" He said putting an arm around her shoulder. "I'm pretty sure you'll like these next two. They're dear friends of Inuyasha!"

The next room was the greath hall, with a ceiling so high Kagome couldn't even see it, and also it was obscured by the clouds.

Standing there, bickering like a married couple, was a young woman in battle armor and a man in a priest's robes.

"...and if I have to tell you one more time to...!"

"Sango!" Inutaisho called out stopping the girl mid sentence. "Miroku! I've brought a friend!"

They both turned and looked at Kagome. Sango's face was red with anger but Miroku's face was red in the shape of a slap.

"Who's...Oh! Is that Inuyasha's..." She closed her mouth as if she had realized she was saying something offensive.

Inutaisho laughed, "This is Kagome. Kagome, this is Sango, Goddess of Battle, and Miroku, God of Wisdom."

"Hello." Kagome said smiling.

"How do you do?" Miroku said walking forward happily.

He was stopped suddenly by a hand to his chest. "Don't even think about it." Sango said dryly before looking back at Kagome and smiling again. "Are you getting the grand tour?"

"Yeah. Inutaisho was showing me around. Since Inuyasha is busy." Kagome said looking curiously at her restraining hand.

"Yeah." Sango nodded. "Changing seasons is hard without him around." she noticed Kagome's look and shook her head. "Miroku, God of Wisdom and Lechery."

Kagome giggled with Sango as Miroku did his best to look affronted, though the affect was ruined by his red cheek and dancing eyes.

"So you're a goddess now, huh?" Sango said removing her hand and looking Kagome over. "Any idea what goddess you are yet?"

Kagome shook her head.

Sango walked over to her and took her arm in the place of Inutaisho. "Then don't you think we ought to find out?"

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...


	8. Dawn and Dusk

**Disclaimer: If you don't know, I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters**

Hey guys, guess what?....I am officially on the disabled list. I was moving out of my old apartment, and of course this was a second story apartment, and I was going down the stairs, naturally with glass in my hands at the time, when, on the very last step, I had one of my famous and patented Klutz Attacks!!! I fell, the glass came down with me, and now my ankle is...well I'm not really sure and that's what scares me. It's not swollen but I can't bend it one way though my toes are still moving and it hurts like HELL!!! I think I might have ripped a muscle or a tendon or something. That sounds fun. But since I'm now disabled I thought I would use this time to write. Oh, and one more thing. I've written the prologue for a story idea I had, only this prologue contains a lemon. I was wondering if you guys think I should post it not. Tell me you're thoughts!!!!:D!

**Dawn and Dusk**

"So where are we going?" Kagome asked as Sango led her down another hallway.

"Well, first things first, we're going to go see Dawn." Sango said smiling.

"The Night Phoenix?" Kagome asked.

Sango nodded. "Him and his brother can see into peoples souls. He might be able to tell us what you are."

Miroku and Inutaisho followed them, both grinning.

Sango noticed and a vein popped on her forehead. She turned and glared, "And what are you two smiling so happily about?" she growled.

"Nothing." Miroku said,_ too_ quickly.

Sango blinked at him through half closed eyes. "Sure you are."

Kagome giggled.

Dysfunctional family was right.

"Anyway," Sango turned back to Kagome, "Dusk just started his trek through the sky so that means Dawn just came in. He won't be asleep yet, I hope."

Kagome shook her head. "This is like something from a dream. I never could have imagined all this."

"It only gets better." Sango winked. "Being a Goddess is the best. Sure you have duties, like every time there's a war I have to go to the battlefield, and once people realize you're a goddess they begin praying to you and you have to choose to ignore them or help them. And if you help them you have to decide how. It's very frustrating sometimes but honestly I love it!"

Sango climbed them up a large set of circular stairs and came to a large wooden door and knocked.

"_Come in." _A voice, deep and calm, said.

Sango smiled and opened the door with her eyes on Kagome's face.

Kagome gasped.

Dawn, the Night Phoenix, was a sight to behold. With stars trailing from his long tail feathers and darkness coming from his wings, he looked like something out of a fairy tale. His eyes were pitch black but speckled with stars and his feathers were a dark, very intense, blue, like the night sky itself. Hanging around his neck was a large silver necklace with winking diamonds that would have been extremely gaudy around a human beck yet looked perfect hanging from his graceful neck and laying on his immense chest.

"Woh..." Kagome said quietly as the breath left her body.

_"Good morning." _the deep voice resonated. Dawn's beak didn't move but his eyes blinked at Kagome. It took her a moment to realize he was communicating with his mind. "_Hello Sango. Miroku. Inutaisho. And, you must be Kagome. My brother spoke of you."_

Dawn's voice was deep and calm. Very much like a cloudless night when not even the wind stirred the air. It spoke slowly and carefully as if time didn't matter to him.

"G..Good morning." Kagome said bowing deeply, just remembering her manners.

"_Stand up." _Dawn spoke. "_Come closer to me, young one."_

Cautiously, as she stared in wonder at the magnificent creature nearly three times her size before her, perched on a large beam with huge pitch black talons, she walked forward having to crane her neck to stare up at him.

Dawn bent down his neck and, when she stopped, placed his head against hers.

A feeling of peace stole over her as she felt Dawn inside her mind and soul. It was not an intrusive feeling, though it should have been. He was very gentle as he probed her past and the depths of her soul and thoughts.

Kagome closed her eyes and enjoyed the process, it was quite interesting. Having someone, who did not judge, see all your shames and doubts laid out bare. He just looked and accepted and it felt right. She reached up and placed a hand on his great neck and felt the soft feathers there. She knew of no human who would have accepted a person after knowing every bitter thought and angry action without a care.

Finally, Dawn leaned back though he kept close enough that Kagome could still touch his neck.

_"I see. Such a pure soul you have." _As he spoke his eyes, great and awe inspiring, looked into her own. _"My brother would like you. As do I." _He rubbed his against her neck, not like he was receiving a pet from her, but more like _he_ was petting _her_. It was nice.

"Can you see the essence of her godhood, Dawn?" Inutaisho asked him politely.

Dawn straighted and Kagome's hold on him fell. He looked at the people gathered before him and shook his magnificent head. _"I cannot. Perhaps my brother will see better. He sees more of the humans than I do. So he understands them better." _Dawn looked out of the large opening that Kagome just noticed and into the bright sky where his brother flew in the shape of the sun. "_Return at sundown and speak to him. Please, pardon me. I must rest."_

"Of course." Sango nodded. "Thank you for seeing...." Sango stopped mid-sentence and growled.

Kagome watched as she turned and slapped Miroku square in the face. "Will you stop!" She grumbled.

Kagome giggled and Sango returned her attention back to Dawn who made no move as if he cared. "Thank you for seeing us, Dawn."

_"Not at all." _he bowed his great head as they left.

"Wow." Kagome said on the way back down. "Did you see him?" she asked pointlessly. "He was...amazing!"

Sango laughed. "I know. He's just breathtaking isn't he?"

"Um..." Kagome looked at Miroku who was walking ahead discussing possible things Kagome could be with Inutaisho, "Why did you slap Miroku?"

Sango snorted. "God of Lechery. He enjoys groping women, it's his hobby I swear. Can an eye on his wandering hands."

* * *

"Where shall we go next?" Inutaisho asked her when Sango and Miroku went off. Some human, according to them, had prayed to the both of them wondering if it was wise to go to battle with a neighboring country.

"I'll see you later, don't worry." Sango promised waving bye to her as she and Miroku left the mountain.

"What could possibly be next?" Kagome asked.

"Well, we have all day, quite laterally, and I'm not sure when Inuyasha will be back. So..."

"He's back now." Inuyasha said walking into the entrance hall.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried and ran to him.

"Good morning." he said lifting her in his arms.

"Hello, Inuyasha." Inutaisho greeted. "We've been walking around the palace."

"Oh, yeah?" Inuyasha said setting Kagome back down but leaving an arm around her waist.

"I saw Dawn today." Kagome said still blown away by the great bird. "And I'm returning at sundown to see Dusk."

"Yeah, I like those two. Dusk has a weird sense of humor though." Inuyasha said.

"Inuyasha." Inutaisho said. "Though I hate to say so, you two must go see your mother."

Inuyasha's look darkened and Kagome bit her lip.

"_Inuyasha, she is a mortal! She can only bring you pain!"_

The memory made her day suddenly bleaker.

"Where would she be?" Kagome asked.

"Kagome." Inuyasha said. "You don't have to do this."

"It's your mother, Inuyasha." Kagome said burying her face in his neck. "I want to get along with her."

Inuyasha wrapped her in his arms.

"Check the waterfall." Inutaisho said. "She likes that area. She says it calms her."

Inuyasha nodded and took Kagome's hand.

* * *

The waterfall was a special project of Inuyasha's. The water fell down in three tiers of crystal, shimmering water before joining with the river that ran through the courtyard. It was surrounded by sweet smelling flowers and curtains of vines creating a special haven and when the sun hit the water right, a rainbow burst into being creating an awesome array of colors more breathtaking than the flowers bright blooms.

Izayoi loved to come here and surround herself with her son's beauty and dip her feet in the cool water.

Inuyasha and Kagome came upon her with her legs in the water and her back on the grass looking into the bright blue sky.

Inuyasha didn't want to go and became more surly with every step he took closer to her.

Finally, they stopped, a couple feet away and Kagome nudged Inuyasha and gave him a telling look.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and called out, "Mom."

Izayoi's eyes opened and looked up at them.

It was there for just a second, a quick flash of sadness and pain before it was replaced by anger.

That second was enough to cause Inuyasha a tremendous amount of guilt.

"Mom." he said, much gentler now.

Izayoi sat up and stood.

"What do you want?" her voice was frosty as she dusted off the back of her toga.

Inuyasha released Kagome's hand and walked forward. Wisely, she stayed behind.

"Mom, I'm sorry." he said quietly holding out his hand as if to reach out to her. "I know...." he took a deep breath, "I know what I did hurt you. But please, try to understand."

Izayoi didn't speak but looked deep into the rainbow glistening off the tiny drops in the waterfall.

"Dad told me. How you met."

Izayoi's back stiffened, if it was possible, even more.

"He told me how you were once mortal."

"Then you know." Izayoi turned her head slightly. "I would know best the deceiving hearts of mortal females."

"Kagome's not like that!" Inuyasha protested but it wasn't anywhere near the heated responses he had made before. "Please. Mom, just look at her."

"They are all like that, Inuyasha." Izayoi said all the tension leaving her body at once. She just looked...sad. "I tried so hard to protect you from them and yet..."

"Mom." Inuyasha walked forward and embraced her, cradling her to his chest like she had done so many times when he was young. "They aren't all like that. And, even if they were, you're proof that they can change."

Izayoi bit her lip and lifted her hand to lay on her precious son's arm. He lay his chin on top of her head.

"Please, mom." Inuyasha.

Izayoi shook her head. "Let me think, my darling." she said sadly. "Just let me think."

* * *

Kagome sat in her room and pondered. The sun was starting to sink and Kagome knew she had to go to Dawn and Dusk's room again. The others would be waiting for her.

But she couldn't get the story of Izayoi out of her head.

Everyone knew the legends of the gods, one just had to be reminded sometimes. Izayoi, Goddess of Love and once a mortal woman.

Kagome stood up and left.

Inuyasha had left again, the slow change of seasons was hard work for him, so Kagome went up to the top tower on her own.

When she got there, the door was already open and Sango and Miroku were talking inside, with Miroku on the exact opposite side of the room.

"Kagome!" he called out making Sango turn. "Right on time. Dusk should be coming back any minute now.

"_Good evening." _Dawn said once she entered. _"Was your day enjoyable?"_

"Yes." Kagome nodded. "There are so many new things here. It's hard to keep them all in my head.

He nodded his head and spread his great wings in what was undeniably a stretch.

_"You are thinking so hard, young one. What troubles you?"_

Kagome shook her head. "It's nothing much. I can solve it myself."

The bird nodded once and looked out the window.

_"My brother comes and it is my turn to fly the skies. Until tomorrow..."_

Kagome watched in awe as he poised himself for flight, then threw his body out the window. His wings snapped open spreading darkness in their wake followed by the stars from his tail.

The bright globe that was his brother caught up with his and for one second, their bright and dark lights intertwined then they were separate again and Dawn flew off to bring night to the world.

"It's so sad." Miroku shook his head.

"What is?" Kagome asked.

"Brothers, they are very close and love each other very much, yet the only time they can see and speak to each other is that one second when day fades to night and night brightens to day." Miroku explained.

Kagome had to shade her eyes for the Day Phoenix. His tail was a trail of fire and his wings gave off a bright light Kagome recognized as sun beams. He wore proud and regal gold and rubies in a necklace that was a mirror image of his brothers. His eyes shined white and he brought a certain warmth into the room as he landed on the same spot his brother had just left.

"_I'm here!" _he called his voice much more jolly though just as rich and deep as Dawn's.

"Hello Dusk." Sango said. "We've brought Kagome as Dawn no doubt told you."

He nodded and his eyes twinkled. "_Hello, Kagome. My, you_ are_ pretty."_

Kagome looked down in embarrassment. "Thank you. You're too kind."

"_Nonsense!" _he said flapping his wings sending a wave of heat over them. "_Dawn tells me you're looking for you're essence, yeah?"_

"That's what they tell me." Kagome said.

_"Then come here and let me see you!"_

Kagome walked forward and Dusk placed his head against hers just as Dawn did.

His look wasn't the calm silky presence like cool water on heated skin like Dawn's was, his was a warmth that spread through her like a warm hot spring on cool flesh.

It was quicker than his brother's but it gave Kagome that same feeling of peace and acceptance.

When he stepped back up Kagome felt like all her worries had been lifted from her shoulders.

"_Hmm..." _Dusk said turning his head. "_Interesting."_

"Well?" Sango and Miroku asked at the same time.

"_Hope."_

"Hope?" Kagome repeated.

Dusk nodded. "_The Goddess of Hope and Healing, Kagome."_

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BTW, yes I do know that dawn is when the sun comes up and dusk in the opposite. I switched the brothers names on purpose so no one point it out to me like I'm retarded:P! (Though I am) I just think it's cooler with their names switched.

PS: Hey guys!!lol, it just hit me!! The irony of having a _flea_as a vassal for a _dog_demon!!! Lol, freaking awesome!!!!.... Jeeze...I _am_retarded...0.o I've seen every episode and read the manga and love writing about it and that irony just hit me....huh...still...HAHAHAHA!!!


	9. Welcome

**Disclaimer: If you don't know, I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters**

Well there is good news! I am no longer disabled. It was a simple sprain and as my fellow klutzes will know, a lifetime of Klutz Attacks let you heal fast! Now onto the next chapter!:D!

**Welcome**

"Hope and Healing?" Kagome repeated it to herself outloud.

She sighed and fell back onto her very large, and very comfortable bed. "What does that even mean?" she said picking up the necklace around her neck and looking at it.

_**Flashback**_

_"Hope and healing!" Sango said wrapping her arms around Kagome's neck. "Congratulations."_

_"It sounds very important. You are a major goddess then." Miroku said smiling, still from his opposite side of the large room._

_"Major goddess?" Kagome asked Sango._

_Her friend nodded. "Sure. Don't you know? There are two types of gods and goddesses. Major and minor. Me, you, Miroku, basically all of us are major gods or goddesses. But there are others. Minor gods. I'm not the only goddess of war. There are many minor gods and goddesses of war but none of them have my power or my fame."_

_"Then how do you know I'm a major?" Kagome asked._

_"_Because you are the only one." _Dusk said and she felt the warmth of happiness radiating off him as if he had just smiled at her, though he couldn't because he had a beak not lips. _"When you are the first god or goddess you are the major one. Others that follow are, naturally, minor. Here, a gift."

_Dusk reached out his long neck and laid the tip of his beak on her chest. The point where they touched glowed and from the light bloomed a bright purple jewel. As Kagome watched, from each side grew two small chains which wrapped around her neck._

_"_A mark of your rank." _Dusk said._

_Kagome lifted the jewel and looked at it. "How come I'm the only one who gets a mark of rank?" she asked._

_"Don't worry." Sango said. "We all have one. Mine is my hiriakostu(Spl?) and Miroku's are the enchanted beads that wrap his arm."_

_"Oh?" Kagome said looking at her reflection in the small sphere._

_**Normal**_

Kagome sighed and watched the jewel reflect the starlight outside.

She sat up on her elbows as the door opened.

Inuyasha walked in quietly but smiled when he saw her.

"I thought you might be a sleep." he said closing the door and walking forward.

Kagome shook her head. "How could I sleep? I've so much to think about!"

Inuyasha chuckled and sat next to her.

Kagome laid back down and stared at the ceiling. "This has to be the most confusing day of my life."

"Well it is my best day." Inuyasha said running his hand across her belly.

Kagome smiled at him. "I'm not saying it hasn't been incredible, because...oh...it really has." she had a dreamy look in her eyes as she thought about it all. "It's just a lot to take in."

Inuyasha nodded and they fell silent.

After a while Kagome spoke again. "What's your mark of rank?" she asked.

"My mark of rank?" Inuyasha asked raising his eyebrows. "It's my sword." he laid his hand on the hilt. "Why?"

"Mine is this." Kaogme said holding up her pretty purple jewel.

"Yours?" he asked reaching out for it. "But that means....You got your title!?" His eyes grew bright as she nodded.

"Hope and healing." she said then squeaked as Inuyasha grabbed her and cradled her in his lap.

"It's perfect for you." he said nuzzling her neck. "Kagome Goddess of Hope and Healing. I like it."

Kagome giggled and rubbed his ears, a trick she learned last night, making him growl lowly in his chest in contentment.

"It's just so..." she took a deep breath and let it out, "...big."

"Yeah." Inuyasha leaned back and looked up at her. "You'll make a wonderful goddess, I just know it."

"How can you be sure?" Kagome asked more sharply than she had intended.

That was it, she realized. What had been bugging her since Dusk had spoken to her. Just a little niggling feeling in her mind that she just couldn't put her finger on but which bothered her all the same.

"Because I know you." Inuyasha said instantly. "You know the first time I saw you?"

"At the temple?" Kagome asked.

_No. _She told herself. _That can't be right. He said he loved me right as he saw me and that was why he called me up. He must have seen me before._

"No." Inuyasha shook his head. "It was two days before." He stroked her cheek as he spoke. "You were putting out a fire and you looked up."

Kagome knew the night he spoke of. Could it only have been a month ago?

"You were begging for your preistess to find a solution. Your village was dying and this was your last hope and who knew what would happen if it didn't work?" Inuyasha continued looking into the distance as he remembered. "Your face was leaner then and your hair was duller with stress and fatigue. But you were still magnificent. Your eyes shined and sparkled as you pleaded for your village."

"It's a pretty tale, Inuyasha." Kagome admitted. "But what does it have to do with anything?"

"You pleaded Kagome, not for yourself, but for your village. Your village's last hope. You led them through hard times and were strong and hopeful even when circumstances were so dire people had to stop eating. Then you healed them by climbing a mountain to face, what you thought was, death. I can think of no other woman more suited for Hope and Healing."

Kagome smiled and kissed his gently as the moonlight poured on his hair making it glow.

"Thank you, Inuyasha." she whispered.

* * *

Kagome stared out the window in wonder. She couldn't take in enough the beautiful landscape that surrounded her.

Inuyasha had left again at daybreak leaving her alone but she was fine.

Kagmoe blinked as a woman in very formal priestess robes walked down the path. In her arms was a basketful of herbs and her hair was nearly to her ankles and jet black. Surrounding her were children of many ages, laughing and playing. Even as Kagome watched, three kids came up to her, their hands full with different plants. The woman smiled and started talking but Kagome was far too away to hear.

"Kikyo."

Kagome turned and saw Inutaisho walk in.

"What?" she asked.

"Her name. Kikyo Goddess of Children." he said joining her at the railings of her balcony.

"Oh? Are those children gods?" Kagome asked wondering at their presence.

Inutaisho shook his haed sadly. "They are an exception to that rule. Those are simply children."

"Then what are they doing here?" Kagome asked.

"They're dead." he said looking at them forlornly. "Killed far too early. Disease, starvation, murder even. Kikyo cares for them. Helps them heal and recover before they are sent on."

Kagome turned and looked again to watch Kikyo pet a young girl's head.

"Those poor things." she said sadly.

Inutaisho nodded.

Kikyo reached the river and the children, all with bright smiles on their faces, ran forward and played in the crystal water.

Kagome gasped when, suddenly, one of the children faded to a bright flowing orb that orbited twice around Kikyo before floating off into the sky.

Kikyo watched it go as the other children waved it good-bye.

"Where did he go?" Kagome asked.

"On." Was all Inutaisho said.

Kikyo turned and looked up at them. Inutaisho raised an arm in salute and Kikyo nodded.

"Come." he said. "Let's go."

"Go where?" Kagome asked following him off her balcony and through her room to the hall beyond.

Inutaisho smiled but didn't speak as he led her down the hall, down the stairs, and through the large atrium. He stopped in front of a pair of large double doors that reached the cieling.

"What are we here for?" she asked.

"Your welcoming party!" Inutaisho flung the doors open and Kagome was greeted by a loud cheer.

"Woh!" She said as she was dragged in.

Happy faces passed her all around and a goblet of wine was pressed into her hands as cheers of welcome and congratulations were hurled at her.

"Hey Kagome!" Rin waved happily from Sesshomaru's shoulder who nodded once though he looked bored and irritated rather than excited like his wife.

"Kagome!" Sango cried standing next to Miroku.

Kagome struggled and broke free to make her way over to them.

"Hey you guys." Kagome said panting slightly.

"Surprised?" Sango asked laughing.

"A little." Kagome nodded. She turned and saw the other gods dancing and laughing, most of them probably didn't notice she had gone.

"We like to party." Miroku admitted. "We throw the best ones."

At that moment a shower of sparks lit the roof in multi-colors.

"God of Fire." Miroku explained pointing to a very bright looking man with flames instead of hair, smirking very cockily and shooking his bright sparks in the air.

"Wow." Kagome said. "All this for me?"

Sango laughed. "Don't feel self-concious. We love to party, like Miroku said. You just gave us an excuse."

"Right." Miroku nodded then suddenly leaned to the side whimpering in pain.

"Move it or lose it." Sango said deathly serious as she pinched the skin on the back of Miroku's hand which had been sneakily making it's way to her bottom.

"Having fun?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome turned happily at the sound of his voice. "I thought you were working."

"Come on." He shook his head. "Even the Summer Goddess is taking the day off." he pointed behind his shoulder but Kagome couldn't see who he pointed at.

"Hey Inuyasha." Miroku said rubbing his red hand.

"Hey." Sango greeted, smiling again.

They started a discussion on something but Kagome was distracted. She was searching the crowds for one person, someone she knew she wouldn't find.

"Kagome!" Inutaisho showed up and put his arm around her shoulder. "Am I going to be getting grandchildren any time soon?" his face was sweet and childlike as he said it.

"Dad!" Inuyasha protested his face glowing hotly.

"What?" he said innocently making Kagome laugh.

* * *

Later that night, Inutaisho pulled Kagome onto a stage and called out to the crowd to hush.

"Well, we all know why we're here!" he said in a booming voice. "Because we like to get drunk and dance like fools!" the crowd chuckled appreciatively. "The reason we say we're here, however, is this girl right here!" Inutaisho held up Kagome's arm making the crowd cheer. "My newest daughter, Kagome!"

"Woo!" The crowd cheered making Kagome's face go red.

"She received her name yesterday, thanks to Dusk up there!" Inutaisho pointed to the rafters where Dusk perched happily. Dawn had occupied that spot until sundown when they had traded out. "May I present to you, the Goddess of Hope and Healing, Kagome!"

The crowd cheered again and Kagome's attention was drawn the the group of kids clapping and smiling so wide their faces would probably hurt later.

"So, welcome to the family Kagome!" Inutaisho said kissing her fingers. "And may your days be happy and blessed."

A loud roar accompenied this statement then peopel went back to their conversations and dances. The Goddess of Music waved her hands and her player-less instruments began to play themselves again.

Kagome hugged Inutaisho and left the stage.

Inuyasha waved to her from across the room and she waved back.

Just as she was about to go over to him she remembered.

She held up a finger in a signal to wait then turned and walked away.

She traveled outside the large double doors which were thrown open casting light into the otherwise dark atrium.

She left the palace and was astounded by the quiet calm of the outside.

Though she would have loved to, she didn't stay to enjoy the gardens at night. There was something she needed to do.

Determined, she followed the river to its source where the fall of the water was still loud and even more beautiful in the moonlight.

Right there, on the bank, sitting much like she had been the other day, was Izayoi.

Kagome slowed down and approached carefully.

Quietly, she lowered herself to sit beside her and even though Izayoi didn't turn her head, she knew she saw her.

They sat in quiet for a time, just listening to the music of the waterfall and the occasional sounds of laughter that drifted across the yard from the large party.

"What do you want?" Izayoi finally asked, breaking the silence. The question wasn't hostile, it just was. No feeling, not even curiosity. As if she was only asking as if she hoped Kagome would leave once she gave the answer.

"Your approval." Kagome said immediatly.

"Then you will be waiting a long time." Izayoi said still not looking at her.

They became quiet again.

"My village was dying." Kagome broke the silence this time. "There was no food and water was going quickly."

"I'm sorry for you then." Izayoi said politly but she still didn't turn her head.

Kagome blinked at her but continued her story. "Our old priestess and healer said she would pray and fast for two days to find a solution." Kagome played with the grass beside her as she spoke and watched the moonlight dance on the water. "When she came out she said the gods had demanded I travel to the temple on the top of a nearby mountain. They begged me not to but I went anyway."

Izayoi didn't speak, didn't move.

After a second, Kagome continued.

"At the top, Inuyasha had given me everything I needed. Salve for my wounds, food and water, and a large bed. When I awoke, he was there. He was cloaked and he begged me to stay. He told me he loved me and I just needed to stay.

"I didn't want to, but my village was on the line, so I agreed. So we stayed together, I never saw him, never knew his true name, but he was so kind and gentle. He took care of me, brought me a friend when I confessed I was lonely. He soon became the person I loved most.

"Then, one night, following my foolish friends advice, I removed his cloak and looked at him. That was the first time I saw him and hearing your voice call his name was the first time I had heard it. I never even knew he was a god until after I fell for him."

Izayoi still didn't speak.

"A few days later he came for me and brought me here." Kagome said at last. "I have everything I could ever want, except your approval."

Izayoi bowed her head more.

"If you were just another random god or goddess it wouldn't matter. I wouldn't care if you liked me or not but your not. You're Inuyasha's mother and even though he tells me not to worry I know he does. He wants badly for you to love me as you love him, or at least look at me. Izayoi," She flinched when Kagome said her name, "I don't know what you're afraid of seeing, but I promise, the only thing there will be my love and sincerety."

They waited in quiet that stretched on for so long Kagome thought she would never move, when she finally spoke. "I grew up with manipulative women. I was born to a woman with four old, rich husbands that she had schemed and planned to aquire like rare peices of jewelry. They are the only kind I know of mortal women."

"We arn't all the same." Kagome said looking at her. "Just as no goddess is the same, niether are us mortal girls. The only women _you _knew were manipulative but all the ones _I_ knew were kind and strong. There was a mother who I adored who opted to starve so her children could eat better. A friend who volenteered to take my place when we were sure my fate was death. A old woman who volenteered to starve and dehydrate herself for two days for the sake of a village. Those are the women who raised me, who grew up with me, who tought me all I know. I never knew a manipulative woman, for there was no one in my village who was worth manipulating."

Izayoi looked across the water. "I know. Intellectually I know there are others, but when I look back on my human life...they are all I see."

"Then look in the water." Kagome said. "Look at yourself and see what a woman who changed looks like. Look at me and see what kind and true mortals look like."

Izayoi couldn't stop herself, she looked at her reflection, then, slowly and almost painfully, she turned and looked at Kagome.

And saw the love that burned in her chest for son, the love which rivaled that of her beloved Inutaisho for her.

Izayoi bit her lip as it trembled. "You _do_ love him." she whispered and leaned her head against her.

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	10. Author's Note

**Author's Note!**

Okay guys, some people asked for a more action and bad guy packed plot line. I originally intended this to be a short, sweet, romantic tale and it became wa-ay longer than I first thought it would because you guys wanted more. So here's your options:

1. I can continue as I've been and the story will end soon.

or

2. I can add your precious bad guys and cliffies that you all claim to dispise but can't seem to get enough of.

It doesn't matter to me, some one told me to write for no one other than myself but I can't. I can only write for you guys and hope that what I give you is worth the reviews you leave. So what do you want me to do? I'm leaving it up to you guys because I can't update again until you decide.

Love,

Sombra112

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	11. Love

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or blah blah blah...**

Well guys I have read all your reviews this morning and thought about what a few of you said. And I have decided to go with jaydenmercy's idea. It's the best one and I agree with every one that gave me advice. This is my story and I started writing it because I wanted a quick, cute little romantic fic with nothing too much, you know? I would have ended it a long time ago but even I didn't like the last ending. So, we shall continue with jaydenmercy's idea which was simple and yet, perfect. Finish this one, as is, and if you guys decide you want one, make a sequel with the baddies and cliffies and all that good fun. And if I hear any griping about how I put it up to a vote I will release the results now:

Option 1 received 11 votes.

Option 2 received 10 votes.

Very close but we can see who the winner is and either way it doesn't matter because this is my story. My story, my rules. :D And the only reason I asked was because if I didn't add badies and clifies, this would be the last chapter. :P!!!:)

**Love**

Kagome sat at the top of the waterfall and looked around. The beauty of the mountain stretched out before her.

The party had gone on long into the night and it was just now, at mid-day, that the other gods were waking up and going about their business.

Kagome drew her knees to her chest and watched in fascination.

Life as a god was not all partying and lazying around. They had jobs they had to do, functions to perform. Every now and then, a god or goddess would erupt in a bright light which would fly through the large golden gates at the end of the courtyard and down into the mortal realm. A prayer would summon them or a sacrifice in their name and they would leave. They returned, some times almost immediatly, other times they were gone for hours.

The God of Summer had been gone for several weeks now as he worked the transition of seasons. Kagome had woken up, once again, on her own as Inuyasha went to assist the Summer God.

Inutaisho had told her not to worry, as soon as the transition finished, which would be any day now, he would stay home more often. He had also assured her, that when the mortals found out about her, she would recieve her own temples and prayers and shrines and would, like the others, dissappear to go to answer them.

"It's really too easy." Inutaisho had told her. "So we usually end up creating schemes and plans and tricks that the mortals have to figure out. They say it makes us vague and mystical, but it's just more fun that way."

At that moment, he had been whisked away in his own ball of light to go answer a mortal's call. Kagome had never had reason to call upon the Great Dog God, but he was probably just as busy as the others.

So she had sought out Miroku to finish her questions.

"It's easy." He told her when she asked how would she know what to do. "In the begining, few people know you or your preferences so they are hesitant to call you. It gives you an easy start. For example, mortals avoid even_ thinking _Tsubaki's name. Goddess of Revenge. Can you imagine what would happen if you called her by accident but had no need of her?"

Kagome had laughed as he shivered.

"Anyway, you'll know what to do when they call." He picked up a scroll of the shelf of the library. "It's natural. A part of who you are."

Kagome sighed but it couldn't be heard over the roar of the waterfall.

A big future was suddenly opening up before her. It had been there since Kagome had first touched Inuyasha's lips, she had just not thought about it. She wasn't sure how she would face it but she knew her new friends would be there for her.

She and Izayoi had made up and returned to the castle together that. Kagome had her hand in Izayoi's and the woman looked slightly ashamed and even more embarressed.

Both of their faces had gone red when they had stepped into the party room and a hush had fallen over every one. Izayoi's dislike for Kagome was known very well and the sight of them, together, holding one anothers hand was a bit too much to take.

Inutiasho had broken the silence when he walked over to Izayoi and folded her small body in his arms. "I told you she was a good girl, love." he had whispered to her.

That triggered the murmuring from the crowd to begin and the Goddess of Music took that opportunity to break into a fast and triumphant song.

Inuyasha ran to his mother and lifted her off her feet in his joy. Then he had turned his eyes to Kagome.

"Thank you." He whispered to her and he kissed her gently.

Kagome unfolded her body and lay back on the grass which was so bright and soft that Kagome could have slept there and would have been just as comfortable as if she had been on her bed.

"Kagome!" A voice called from the bottom of the waterfall.

Kagome ast up and crawled to the edge.

"There you are!" Sango cried when she saw her. She had to yell to be heard over the waterfall.

"What is it?" Kagome called back.

"I wanted to...."

She was cut off mid sentence because she turned into a bright orb of pink light which flew out of the gates.

Kagome laughed.

Miroku had told her that normally gods could choose when they wanted to answer a mortals call or not. "But some times," he smiled, "they summon you using magic learned from oracles and the like and you're forced down. It usually is only that strong with animal sacrifices though."

Then she smiled wide as a red orb flew through the gates and over to her.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome threw her hands around him even as he materialized.

"Hello." he smiled. "Guess what? I'm done with summer."

"Really?" Kagome smiled up at him. "That's wonderful!"

"Yeah, because now, I have all this time to spend with you." he nuzzled her neck much like a puppy would.

Kagome hugged him tighly as the pink orb came back and reformed to make Sango.

"I told him not to go to battle but _no-o-o_." Sango grumbled dusting off her armor. "Then all of his soldeirs start getting their asses kicked and praying to me. I can't ignore a call like that!" The last she yelled at the gate as if the offensive man could hear. "Oh, hey, Inuyasha. You're back."

"Hi, Sango."

"What did you want to ask me earlier?" Kagome said leaning happily against Inuyasha.

Sango shrugged. "I just wanted to know if you wanted to talk or visit. But since your man is back, I'm going to tactfully take my leave." She smiled and waved and walked off.

"You lose the tact if you _tell_them that you're tactfully leaving." Inuyasha called to her retreating back.

Sango just waved without looking back.

"Oh, leave her alone. She's giving me more time with you." Kagome said looking up at him.

Inuyasha stroked her cheek and his eyes went soft. "How have you been?" he asked.

Kagome shrugged and smiled softly. "I'm happy here. When the mortals find out I'm here they'll start praying to me and I can't wait to fell useful again."

Inuyasha smirked. "You'll regret those words when you can't sleep for two days because some stupid mortals are constantly calling you."

Kagome stood on her toes and gave him a quick kiss. "It'll be worth it. As long as I'm here with you."

Inuyasha pulled her close then and burried his face in her hair.

"I love you, you know that right?" he said.

Kagome smiled. "Not nearly as much as I love you."

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